Some handy suggestions to create less actual fury for your users.
1.
Especially if a system is new write and post in
a logical place clear instructions and include information for how to proceed
if something is different from the way it has worked in the past. In this case
the former company would take direct withdrawals from your bank account. New
company only accepts Visa or MasterCard debit. Apparently there was a paper
form to deal with those of us without the acceptable debit card. It took 3 phone
calls, 1 missed, and several threads of twitter interaction before anyone
mentioned this to me. And even then I had to ask for the link.
2.
Do not tell people their browser is
incompatible. If you are dealing with consumers and not business people there
are at least four browsers you should be set up for. They are Google Chrome,
Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer. A
quick Google search puts these browsers in top 5 lists consistently. Sure every
list has them ranked in different order but they are always there.
3.
As much as I hate scripts sometimes the
information from them is needed for your staff. I get it. Phone centre jobs
suck and you usually do not get the best of the crop for those positions but
please arm these people with information. By the time most of us get to contacting
a company we’re angry and frustrated. We understand that the voice on the phone
is not the reason we’re angry but right or wrong they’re who we are dealing
with. We need accurate, clear information and explanations. What I’ve heard for
the past few days is ‘incompatible’ and ‘you can do that on our website’. Turns
out there’s an issue with your website so I can’t. Which is why I’m calling.
4.
Deal with people. I spent quite a bit of time on
twitter yesterday. I find it incredibly useful for getting companies to listen
to you. I got a response right away from the company no longer offering the
service. Most of what they answered was platitudes but at least they were
paying attention to me. It took the new company, the one I’m trying to pay
about 15 interactions before they finally piped in. Ditto read your messages
before responding. I had so many bots answer things I didn’t ask yesterday. I
am a bit of a weirdo but I always include my browser and OS information. If
your first response is asking me these questions it is completely clear that
you did not give my message more than a cursory glance.
5.
Do user acceptance testing. By this I mean have
people who do not know what your website is supposed to do test it. When you do
your own testing you test with a bias.
If your website is designed to
take money please make it so people can pay you. There are so many testing
shopping cart apps out there. Do not, to use a very overused phrase, reinvent
the wheel. The wheel, so simple in its form, works.
Please, please, please stop telling users they are at fault. They are not. They may not have done things the way you set them up but users act on a series of learned reactions.They learn each time they users systems and apps and that knowledge is compounded over time. For those of us in Gen X we've been through several radical OS changes and had to adapt to all of them. I personally find all this intuitive 'helping' that software and apps do these days completely counter-intuitive because I learned systems when everything was done by me. Yes I've had to adapt but sometimes my instinct isn't your instinct. And for Millennials and Gen Xed they are even more tech savvy than anyone. They don't need things dumbed down. Whatever generation we are; we've contacted you for help. Help us.
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